What Janie Crane Discovered
by ElegantButler
Summary: In this sequel to What Theora Found Out, reporter Janie Crane is being held by Zlin corporate raiders. Edison and his team must rescue her with the help of their new head of R&D, Jenny Wilcox. And Jenny has a secret.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Edison Carter walked to work from Gladhand Meadows. After seeing that Bryce's body would not end up being dismantled for parts, he had refused a ride from Blank Reg who had agreed to keep silent about Bryce until Edison made the announcement.

The walk, which was three miles, was taken mostly for him to think about how to make that statement. He wondered how they would react? Would they feel angry that Bryce had died without them around him? Would they be mad at themselves? Or Janie for getting herself in danger while Bryce was on death's doorstep? He tried to think of how to work it so there would be no self-recriminations. Tried to take the pain out of his voice so it wouldn't be misconstrued as anger.

As it turned out, he didn't have to say anything.

As soon as he walked into the control room, they knew. Of course they would, he reflected. He had only been away to look after Bryce in his last days. If was back, it meant those few days were over.

"Where?" Murray asked as Theora wiped her eyes on her sleeve.

"Gladhand Meadows," Edison told them. "Next to Paddy. Now," he said, getting to business, "What's the deal with Janie Crane?"

"What?" Theora asked. She'd been thinking about all the things Bryce would never grow up to do. Get married, become a father. He was gone now, taken too soon from this world.

"Janie Crane. The reporter who replaced me. What happened to her?"

"Right," Theora said, glad for the distraction from her sadness.

Murray didn't question it. He had seen a great number of deaths when he'd been a war correspondent and he knew that most people busied themselves after a close friend had passed in order to keep themselves from being overwhelmed by the loss.

"Janie was in the field when she was abducted by what was apparently a ZLin soldier," Theora explained. "They must have a scan blocker somewhere on their vehicles because I can't pick up a trace of her."

"There's got to be a way," Edison told her. "Keep trying."

Theora turned back to her computer and continued her attempts to reach Janie.

Edison shouldered his camera and headed for the door.

"Where are you going?" Murray demanded.

"To visit Blank Bruno," Edison said.

"You can tell him about Bryce later." Murray told him.

"Murray," Edison reasoned, "Blank Bruno was Bryce's teacher. If anyone in this city knows how to track Janie with a trace blocker in place, it's him."

"Just be careful," Murray said. "We can't afford to lose three employees in one month."

"Life is so fragile in the Fringes, God," Bruno said, carefully petting the frog's back as footsteps approached his door. "We live like shadows, Sometimes giving shade, always following. Even when we cannot be seen."

The knock was unexpected.

"We're not interested," Bruno called to the door.

"I need to talk to you about a former student," Edison said from the other side of the door.

"Which student?" Bruno asked, cautiously. He wondered what the reporter wanted from him. He was sure it wasn't chatting about old times.

"Bryce Lynch," Edison called through the door.

Bryce was one of Bruno's best students and the middle-aged blank had a soft spot for the teen genius.

"What about him?" he asked, his hand on the doorknob.

"He's dead." Edison told him, choking back tears.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Blank Bruno opened the door, a stunned look on his face.

"How?" he managed to ask as he stepped back to let Edison in.

"Brain cancer," Edison told him once they were inside.

Bruno collapsed into his chair. "I can't believe it," he said. "He would've been seventeen in a week."

Edison nodded. "I know. He wasn't going to tell anyone either. The only reason we found out was because he was crying from the pain and Theora accidentally pulled off the wig he'd been wearing. Truth is, I didn't just come to tell you about Bryce. We have a problem. Janie Crane, the reporter who covered the White Brigade story is missing. She's untraceable. Probably a hostage somewhere. And since you were Bryce's teacher…"

"I'd prefer to remain untraceable," Bruno apologized. "There's a girl named Jenny who works for Network 66. She was Bryce's best friend at ACS. You might be able to convince her to jump ship."

"I can't risk the life of another teenager," Edison shook his head.

"You need someone to fill Bryce's job," Bruno pointed out. "And now that Bryce is gone, she's the best. I'll call her."

Bruno tapped in a code on his vu-phone.

"Jenny," he said when she came on the line.

"Good afternoon, sir," Jenny smiled. "What's up?"

"Jenny," Bruno said, regret in his voice, "I'm afraid I've got very bad news about Bryce."

Jenny blinked. "Bryce? What bad news?"

Bruno looked at Edison, who leaned into the phone's video space.

"Jenny, Bryce died of brain cancer a few hours ago," he explained.

"And you want me to take his place," Jenny guessed, tears brimming in her eyes.

Edison realized she had wanted more than just friendship from Bryce. And now she would never get the relationship she'd desired.

"We have a problem at the Network and we need someone to take over Bryce's spot on our team so we can save Janie Crane."

"She was very brave," Jenny said. "I saw her story on the White Brigade. Okay. I'll come over to Network 23. Give me time to pack and pick me up in half an hour."

Jenny disconnected the link. She flopped onto her bed, sobbing. She could not believe he hadn't told her. It explained why he hadn't called her for so long. They had gotten along so well for the few months between when he had called her about Vu-Doze project and when he had stopped contacting her. She had been angry when his calls had stopped, thinking that he had turned out to be like so many boys, getting what he wanted from a girl and then dumping her.

Nobody knew about the nights she and Bryce had spent together. Nor did anyone know of their secret engagement. She had taken the ring off and placed it in a drawer. Now she returned it to her finger, a reminder of what was and what might have been.


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

Theora sat at her control desk when the door opened. A girl who was the same age as the late Bryce Lynch strolled purposefully over to her desk, followed by the door guard, Stanley

"You can't just barge in here, Miss," he said. "I'm sorry, Miss Jones. This kid just walked right in and…"

"It's alright, Stanley," Theora said. "Edison said she was coming."

Jenny glared at Stanley who meekly returned to his post at the front door.

"So you're Jenny," Theora said.

"And you must be Theora Jones. I heard you were one of the best controllers in the business."

"I do my best," Theora said, with a noncommittal shrug. "So, you were Bryce's classmate?"

Jenny looked around as if making sure she wasn't being listened to. Then leaned in and whispered. "I was a little more than that."

"Oh?" Theora asked.

Jenny tapped the desk until Theora glanced at her hand and saw the small diamond ring that glistened on her finger.

"Oh my god…" Theora gasped softly. "But you're so young. I mean I know you're a genius, but marriage at your age? Or was this going to be a long engagement?"

"We were going to elope this summer," Jenny explained. "Now all I have is this ring and..." She paused as if wondering if she should speak further.

Theora noticed this, but returned to looking for Janie. Whatever Jenny wasn't saying, she would tell when she was ready. Until then, it was best to concentrate on the mission at hand. Janie needed them.

"What are you going to do?" Janie demanded.

The transport she was in was still moving toward the river. She wondered if would stop there, or go beyond into the wasteland.

Ralph smirked at her. "We've already done it."

"What are you talking about?"

"Economic destabilization," Ralph laughed. "Buy screwing with the finances of this little city, we've made it impossible for Zik Zak to do anything other than raise its prices so high, no customers can afford them."

Realization dawned in Janie's mind.

"The Artisan Brotherhood!"

Ralph nodded. "Yes. They're our allies. At least as long a we need them. After that… well, there are more diseases than just cancer."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Jenny sat on the edge of the bed that had once belonged to Bryce Lynch. She looked at the posters of the various scientists that he had put up on the walls.

"Oh, Bryce," she sighed, "why did you have to leave us so soon?"

She got up and went over to what she still thought of as his computer. It was protected and she could not access it.

"Max," she called.

"You-you-you rang?" Max inquired with his customary stutter.

"I need access to the research and development mainframe," Jenny told the construct. "Then bring up any files you can find on Zlin, including their most recent fiscal documents. Let's find out what they're getting out of this."

"And you are...?" Max drawled inquiringly.

"Bryce's fiancee," Jenny told him

"You must miss-miss-miss him," Max sighed.

"Yeah, I do," Jenny said. "He didn't leave much behind. Just a couple of treasures for me that I will always cherish."

"Oh?" Max asked, curiously. "What were they?"

"Right now, I'll just tell you that one is this engagement ring," she held her her hand to show Max. "The other one is a surprise. I'll tell you what it is later."

"Please?" Max whined.

"Nope," Jenny smiled. "You have to wait like everyone else. "Now, let's get back to focusing on this assignment. We need to find Janie Crane. We already know that it was someone from Zlin. Edison filled me in on that part of things earlier. But we don't know why."

"And you think it's fi-fi-f-financial?" Max asked.

"Usually corporate wars are for fiscal reasons, yes," Jenny told him. "And this is happening too close to that report Edison told me about concerning the Artisan Brotherhood to be a coincidence. They have to be involved somehow."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"That's the last of it," the packers told the leader of the Artisan Brotherhood said as the final bags of dough were packed into the van.

"Let's get this into the Fringes," the leader said with a dark grin. "And don't forget to turn on the subs. Zlin wants these sheep to buy and buy. And they're paying us good money for our services."

The driver nodded and tapped a blue switch on the van's steering wheel.

"Ready as ever," he said as he drove off to deliver their wares and their message.

The Blanks had learned that money came with the big blue van that drove into their domain with bread dough just waiting to be cooked over their burning barrels.

They rushed to meet the van in droves, their need making them desperate for the comfort of cash. Their minds raced with the need to buy things from Zlin. They rushed to purchasing terminals, a few of which still accepted cash, eager to make their purchases.

Blank Reg and Dominique at Big Time and Blank Bruno in his warehouse seemed to be the only Blanks not affected by the subliminal messages.

"It's getting crazy out there, Dom," Reg said, watching their fellow Blanks as he watched the weekly money frenzy. "I don't see what they want with the stuff. The money's fine and all. But why do they keep buying all that junk with it? It's not even quality junk, love."

Dom raised an eyebrow at the epithet and turned from her paperwork to look at him.

"They don't get much good stuff out here," she told him, "I doubt most of them know the difference or even care if they did."

"There's something screwy going on, Dom," Reg decided. "I just wish I knew what."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Jenny studied the data that Max had brought up on the screen.

"Zlin's corporate raiders.. Ralph Simmons, Jack Richards, David Michaels, and Donald McKenzie. Max where have i heard that name before?"

"It's Murray's last name," Max told her. "But you can be sure he's not connected."

"Maybe not," Jenny agree, thoughtfully. She tapped her chin. "Max I need personal files for each of these men. There has to be something we can use against them to force them to release Janie Crane."

"Blackmail," Max smiled "I love it."

"Blackmail is such an ugly word, Max," Jenny told him. "I prefer to call it leverage. But we've got to be quick and clever."

"No problem," Max said, digging up the files.

Theora had brought up a copy of Janie's medical details and was attempting to pinpoint her current location based on her heartrate. There were so many people with similar heart rates, that tracking someone like that was like looking for a particular needle in a stack of needles.

Jenny's face appeared on her control screen, smiling.

"You found her," Theora said, hopefully.

"No," Jenny admitted. "But Max and I did dig up a little dirt on Jack Richards. He's one of the Zlin raiders. Seems his real name is Richard Jackson and he's wanted in New Zealand on charges of credit fraud."

"And…?"

"And if Edison pretends he's about to expose the identity of Richard Jackson…"

"The threat could either cause them to release Janie… or kill her," Theora said.

"I hadn't thought of that," Jenny said. "Okay, I'll think of another way."

"Wait a minute. We can still use that information. If we can prove the others knew of this. We can send the metrocops to arrest them."

Jenny smiled at Theora. "Now, why didn't I think of that." Remembering a quote she had once heard somewhere, she added. "Guess my mind must be too highly trained."

Jenny disconnected her call to Theora. She had done all she could for now. Now she could rest and think of the gift that Bryce had left to her. It was a precious gift, more valuable to her than the diamond she wore, or all the diamonds in the world. She smiled, sadly, gazing at the ceiling and thinking of her future at Network 23.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"Theora," Murray said, "you've been working for twenty hours straight. You need to rest. Otherwise, you won't be at your best when it comes to the fight that's sure to happen."

"I can't just leave Janie and Edison at risk," Theora argued.

"I'm giving you permission to take a break for a few hours to get yourself back to your best. I'll have David take over. He's really come into his own as a controller since the raking incident."

"Murray means he's finally given up trying to take over," David chuckled.

"Let's just concentrate on the job at hand," Murray said, clearing his throat in an authoritative manner.

"I'm going to talk to Jenny," Theora said. "I want to see how she's settling in."

"Good idea," Murray said. "She seems a little down. I hope she's not missing Network 66."

"I think it's Bryce she's missing," Theora suggested.

"Is there something you know that we don't?" Murray asked.

"It's not for me to say," Theora replied simply as she headed for the lift.

Jenny was in the middle of a yawn when Theora knocked on the studio door.

"Who is it?" she asked

"It's Theora," Theora told her. "May I come in?"

"Sure," Jenny said, opening the door.

"So, how are you feeling?" Theora inquired. "I see you've left everything pretty much the way it was."

"It reminds me of Bryce," Jenny explained in a thoughtful tone. "I'm going to have to change a few things around. I need to make room for the new furniture. Perhaps I should see if I can have this area expanded a little. It's the only department on the entire floor."

"How much room do you need?" Theora asked, her curiosity piqued.

"Enough for a nursery for now," Jenny explained, "But I'll want space for a playroom…"

"Nursery?" Theora's eyes went wide "My god! You're pregnant?"

"A little under five months," Jenny explained. "Bryce found out about his cancer about five weeks later. I had thought he left me because of the baby. You know how guys can get freaked out over something like that."

"And some are just jerks," Theora pointed out.

"I figured Bryce left because of the baby," Jenny admitted. "I was angry with him for the longest time. Then Edison told me what happened. I wish I'd known."

"So Bryce was going to be a father," Theora said. "I wonder how he would've handled it."

"Once he got used to the idea?" Jenny smiled. "Very logically."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"What did you find out in your search last night, Max?" Jenny asked, yawning and stretching the next morning.

"Well," Max informed her, "the recent sales increases by Zlin coincide with the activities of the Artisan Brotherhood."

"So they're artificially boosting their sales," Jenny concluded. She contacted Theora. "Morning, Theora."

"Morning, Jenny," Theora replied. "How are you today?"

"Fine," Jenny answered, "I've got news for you."

"You weren't up all night?"

"No, but Max was. I had him do a search for me. Turns out our little friends in the Artisan Brotherhood are working for Zlin. They're giving out money which the Blanks are using to buy Zlin products."

"Boosting sales and making them seem more popular than Zik Zak," Theora replied. "That's sinister. So if we can prove this…"

"We can have the Artisan Brotherhood arrested and cut off Zlin's customer supply." Jenny concluded.

"You're saying the Artisan Brotherhood is linked to Zlin?" Edison asked as he joined them. He had just heard Jenny's last statement.

"Exactly," Jenny replied, reminding Edison of Bryce.

"Can you get proof?" Edison asked.

"Max," Jenny called.

Max appeared on the screen. "You called, milady?" he inquired in a fake butler's accent.

"Dobie Gillis file again," Edison remarked eliciting a nod from Theora.

"Max, give me a hard copy of the data you compiled last night on the Zlin/Artisan Brotherhood connection."

"Z/AB Data printing now," Max told her as the printout emerged from the nearest printer.

"Thanks, Max."

Edison retrieved the printout and studied it, carefully.

"This is it," he said. "We've got everything we need to nail the Artisan Brotherhood and Zlin. I'm taking this to the metrocops. Theora, tell Murray to clear us for an afternoon news window."

"Afternoon? That's three hours away."

"I'm not reporting until Janie is back," Edison told her. "If we can talk with the Artisan Brotherhood, I'm hoping they'll tell us where she is."

Edison was with the metrocops when they raided the Artisan Brotherhood's van. For a moment, he was compelled to take the money they were offering. Then Theora's voice broke through the subliminals and cleared his head.

"I think they're using some sort of subliminal signal," he told the metrocops.

The metrocops ran forward, one of them banging on the door to the Artisan Brotherhood's van.

A tall slightly overweight man in his mid thirties stepped out. "What is it?"

"You and your so-called Brotherhood are under arrest for use of subliminal messaging and economic destabilization."

"Mister…" Edison began.

"Jack Richards," the man introduced himself.

"Mister Richards," Edison said. "Where is Zlin holding Janie Crane?"

"Why should I tell you?"

"Because she's a friend of mine," Edison said. "And often when people cooperate in investigations it's taken into account during their trial."

"Okay," Richards told him. "They've got her in the old warehouse near Metal Row."

"Thanks," Edison said.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Janie watched the door lift open as Edison and the metrocops arrived at the warehouse.

"Thanks, Max," Edison said to a nearby screen.

Max nodded, then went off to do one of his bits on Network 23.

"Edison," Janie told him, "they killed Bryce. They engineered the cancer."

That was all Edison needed to fly into a rage and punch out the man next to her.

Janie ran for the door, stopping near the metrocops.

"I want these men charged with murder," Edison told them. He shouldered his vidicam and spoke.

"I'm ready to go live," he said through the link.

Murray nodded to Theora in Control

"We're ready," Theora told Edison.

"This is Edison Carter reporting live and direct from the Fringes on Network 23. Today we are witnessing the arrest of Zlin corporate raiders who, in connection with a group known as the Artisan Brotherhood, have been artificially boosting Zlin's sales through customer manipulation. They are also responsible for the murder of my best friend and colleague Bryce Lynch."

"Oh my god," Theora said.

Jenny's eyes glistened with tears and gleamed with hate. She would never forgive them for taking Bryce from her.

Janie and Edison walked into Network 23 several minutes later to a standing ovation.

Jenny joined them a moment later. "Glad you're back safe, Miss Crane." she said.

Janie raised an eyebrow.

"Janie," Theora said, "This is Jenny Wilcox. She's our new head of R&D."

"I assume you played a part in my rescue," Janie guessed. "Thank you."

Jenny smiled as the champagne was passed around.

Murray apologized for her not being able to have any due to her being too young to drink it.

"I'd have to decline anyhow, Murray," she told him, deciding to let the cat out of the bag for the rest of the team. "It might hurt the baby."

"My god," Murray breathed.

"Baby?" Edison asked. "As in Bryce's baby?"

Jenny nodded and Edison gave her a hug.

"I hope it's a boy," he told her, grinning.

"Mr. Carter," Jenny replied simply, "you can name a girl Bryce, too."


	10. Epilogue

Epilogue

Jenny stopped working at her computer and stood up with a smile as the tiny infant in the next room made her demands known. Standing over the crib, she lifted the baby who was only a few days old from the crib. Exposing a breast, she held her daughter close, letting the little one get her fill before detaching her and covering herself back up. She adjusted the baby, holding her to a shoulder for a post-meal burp.

"Bryce," she said to the tiny girl as she patted her back until the air bubble was out of the baby's system along with a bit of milk.

Jenny was grateful for the burping towel Janie Crane had bought her. Theora had given her a mattress for the crib which looked very comfortable and was easy to wash. Dominique had been to the baby shower also and she had bought diapers and a diaper pail to put the used ones into.

Word had gotten around to Blank Bruno that Bryce had fathered a child before his untimely death. And even though men hadn't been invited to the shower, he had called Jenny later that day to congratulate her.

The birth had been a very uncomfortable one, but Jenny had been delighted when she saw her daughter for the first time.

"What is her name?" Theora had asked later on when they were all at the nursery window together.

Jenny gave them a small smile. Her eyes glistened with happiness and a hint of memories.

"Bryce Lynch."


End file.
